Scandinavian Culture Calendar: September 2024
By Karl Batterbee
Rømø Kite Festival. Photo: Bjarke-Petersen
There’s plenty happening across Scandinavia throughout September to keep us entertained. Here are just a few of the cultural highlights worth checking out.
Rømø Kite Festival (6-8 September)
The Danish island of Rømø will play host to a delightful explosion of colour as the annual Kite Festival returns for its 35th edition. Kite-flying enthusiasts from all over the world flock to Lakolk beach to show off an increasingly creative array of kites. Coming in all sorts of shapes and colours, the kites ensure that the skies of Rømø become an unmissable sight for three days every September. And in the evenings, illuminated kites create an incredible spectacle in the night sky.
Rømø, Denmark
Joyride the Musical. Photo: Martin Paulsson
Joyride the Musical (6 September 2024 to 27 April 2025)
A brand-new musical opens in Malmö in September. Based on the enduring hits of the Swedish duo Roxette, Joyride the Musical will have its world premiere at Malmö Opera, running until the end of April next year. Promising to be a feel-good musical full of joy and humour, the production will feature the most beloved songs from the globally successful duo, made up of Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson. From Listen To Your Heart and It Must Have Been Love, to The Look and Fading Like A Flower, we’re once again being invited to “join the Joyride”!
Malmö Opera, Sweden
Anastasia Coope will play by:Larm.
by:Larm (12-14 September)
The 27th edition of by:Larm is happening in Norway this month. As well as being a conference for the Nordic music industry during the day, it turns into a music festival at night, open to members of the public. The festival prides itself on its focus on new and emerging artists who are on the verge of big success in their homelands or internationally. As a result, this is always one to swing by if you like to keep ahead of the trends!
Oslo, Norway
Photo: Oslo Culture Night
Oslo Culture Night (13 September)
When Oslo Culture Night rolls around, people are able to experience all the wonderful things the Norwegian capital’s cultural life has to offer – for free! Around 200 of Oslo’s cultural organisations either open their doors or take to the streets showcasing free samples of their regular offerings. It’s a great way to dip your toe into brand-new experiences. Performances and events will be happening all across the city, with the full programme being uploaded to the Oslo Culture Night website on 1 September.
Oslo, Norway
Picturing a Nation. Photo: National Museum of Iceland
Picturing a Nation (until 5 January 2025)
The National Museum of Iceland and the National Film Archive of Iceland have paired up to put together an exhibition about the events of May and June 1944 which led to the founding of the Republic of Iceland. Displaying previously unseen footage from the Film Archives, the museum will also be allowing access to photographs, objects and people’s own accounts of these important weeks in Iceandic history. It’s set to be a must-see for history buffs, as well as anyone with even a passing interest in the Nordic countries.
National Museum of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy. The Summer With Carmen
Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy (19-29 September)
After over 50,000 visitors attended in 2023, the Helsinki International Film Festival now returns for its 2024 edition. The aim of Finland’s biggest film festival is to promote the artistry of filmmaking alongside inventive, controversial and visually stunning new films. The festival also seeks to screen films that would otherwise not be seen in Finnish cinemas. During its over 30-year lifespan, the festival has expanded greatly. In 1988 the inaugural festival screened 26 films, while in 2020, the programme consisted of 140 feature films and 170 short films. So whatever your tastes, you’re sure to find plenty you’ll love here!
Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy. I Saw The TV Glow
Magnus Carlsson – It’s My Party (27 September to 4 November)
One of Sweden’s favourite showmen Magnus Carlsson kicks off his latest tour of Sweden at the end of September. Taking in 28 cities all across Sweden, It’s My Party is precisely that – a large-scale celebration of his 30 years as an artist. The former Barbados frontman and Alcazar member never fails to get audiences on their feet. And with a discography as rich as his, as well as his penchant for covering party classics, you will likely be familiar with pretty much every song performed on the night.
All over Sweden
Magnus Carlsson – It’s My Party Photo: Peter Knutson
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